Submitted by Lauri Lee (not verified) on January 31, 2008 - 09:37.
This was a great article; I wish it was longer! It underscores how the U.S. continues to miss the boat with preschool education. Rather than pushing down the curriculum and forcing six-year olds to sit in desks and write sentences during 1 - 2 hour L.A. blocks, we need to concentrate on making our education system more developmentally appropriate. We have a huge body of research that confirms the tremendous brain growth that takes place during the years from birth to age 5, and yet formal education in the U.S. continues to start at age 5 in most jurisdictions. When preschool is offered, it is often offered only to those considered to be "at risk." When will we give all children a "smart start"?
This was a great article; I
Submitted by Lauri Lee (not verified) on January 31, 2008 - 09:37.
This was a great article; I wish it was longer! It underscores how the U.S. continues to miss the boat with preschool education. Rather than pushing down the curriculum and forcing six-year olds to sit in desks and write sentences during 1 - 2 hour L.A. blocks, we need to concentrate on making our education system more developmentally appropriate. We have a huge body of research that confirms the tremendous brain growth that takes place during the years from birth to age 5, and yet formal education in the U.S. continues to start at age 5 in most jurisdictions. When preschool is offered, it is often offered only to those considered to be "at risk." When will we give all children a "smart start"?